House panel votes to hold IRS official in contempt

WASHINGTON -- A House committee voted Thursday in favor of holding Lois Lerner, a former Internal Revenue Service official, in contempt of Congress for her refusal to testify before the panel.

Lerner, the former head of the IRS's tax-exempt branch, twice appeared in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and declined to respond to questions, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The panel is investigating the IRS's alleged targeting of conservative groups.

Republicans say Lerner waived those rights after making an opening statement declaring she was innocent during the first hearing in May. She has since left the IRS.

"We cannot tell the American people that we have done all we can do to get to the truth in this investigation if we offer a pass to a critical witness like Ms. Lerner," said committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

Democrats argued she had not waived her rights and that Issa had not followed the proper procedures to justify holding her in contempt.